ENERCON E-175 EP5 E2: The real innovation is not the 7 MW rating

A 175-metre rotor and 7 MW rated power are the headline figures of the E-175 EP5 E2. However, one of the features that makes ENERCON’s new platform particularly noteworthy is its split-generator design, which aims to make large-scale direct-drive technology practical in terms of logistics, installation and serial production. Rüzgâr Enerjisi Magazine examines the model from the perspectives of engineering, competitiveness, certification, and its manufacturing and installed-capacity footprint in Türkiye.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• 7.0 MW
• 175 m rotor
• approx. 24,050 m² swept area
• approx. 291 W/m² specific power
• 25-year design life
• 112–175 m hub height

The 7 MW power class alone is not enough to assess the turbine

The E-175 EP5 E2 has a rated power of 7.0 MW and a rotor diameter of 175 metres, and is designed with a gearless, variable-speed drivetrain and full-power converter. According to the official technical data, the design life is 25 years; cut-in wind speed is 2.5 m/s and cut-out wind speed is 25 m/s. Hub-height options of 112, 119, 132, 162 and 175 metres allow the turbine to adapt to different site conditions.

A 175-metre rotor has a swept area of approximately 24,050 m². Based on a rated power of 7 MW, this corresponds to a specific power of approximately 291 W/m². This indicates that the design is based not only on rated power but also on a large rotor area intended to increase energy production. For project assessments, however, the more meaningful parameters include rotor area, tower height, net annual energy production (AEP), transport constraints and lifecycle cost.

The real story of the E-175 E2: A split direct-drive generator

The most notable component of the E2 platform is its disc-shaped, outer-rotor permanent-magnet generator, approximately 10 metres in diameter. The generator can be divided horizontally into two sections in order to address road-transport and lifting constraints, which become increasingly critical as direct-drive systems scale up. According to data published as part of ENERCON’s test programme, each generator half has been kept within approximately 4.99 metres of transport width and a 62-tonne weight limit. The installation process has also been designed to be carried out using commonly available 800-tonne-class cranes.

The significance of this engineering choice is considerable, because removing the gearbox does not automatically guarantee lower maintenance costs. Large generators, bearing systems, power-electronics equipment and cooling systems bring their own maintenance and service requirements. Several years of commercial operating data will be needed before firm conclusions can be drawn on the E2’s operating expenditure (OPEX), critical-component reliability and turbine-availability performance. From an independent review perspective, this remains one of the most important areas requiring confirmation from field data.

Improvement in annual energy production and the certification process

In April 2026, ENERCON announced that, depending on site conditions, the E2 platform had achieved an increase of up to 2.8% in annual energy production (AEP) and reference energy yield. An improvement of a few percentage points can have a material impact on project economics over a 20- to 25-year operating life. However, this improvement should not be interpreted as a fixed increase applicable to all projects. Final energy production continues to depend on project-specific factors such as wake losses, curtailment, air density, turbulence level, grid constraints and turbine availability.

The final IECRE type certificate issued by TÜV SÜD on 24 August 2026 can be regarded as one of the most important structural milestones in the development of the E2 platform. Certification significantly reduces uncertainty, particularly in permitting, technical due diligence and investor assessments in international markets. However, the financial credibility and financing capability of a new wind turbine are not determined by rated power alone. Bankability is formed by the combination of completed certification, serial-production readiness, warranty and service structures, and an operating history demonstrating long-term field performance.

The E2’s position in the 7 MW-plus turbine market

In Windpower Monthly’s assessment of 7 MW+ onshore turbines, the E-175 EP5 E2 is positioned in the same segment as European platforms such as the Nordex N175/6.X, Vestas V172-7.2 MW and Siemens Gamesa SG 7.0-170. The comparison also includes Chinese turbine models with rated capacities ranging from 8.5 MW to 11 MW. This illustrates that the increasingly prominent “megawatt race” in the wind industry cannot, on its own, explain project success. Final competitiveness is shaped by the combination of rated power with energy production, capacity factor, logistical feasibility, grid compatibility, reliability and lifecycle cost.

In Windpower Monthly’s 2025 Turbines of the Year awards, the E2 received the Gold Award in the 7.0 MW-plus onshore turbine category, ahead of the Nordex N175/6.X and Vestas V172-7.2 MW. An award cannot be regarded as proof of field performance on its own; however, the jury’s emphasis on the split outer-rotor permanent-magnet generator design and the logistics concept is an important indication that the points at which the platform differentiates itself from an engineering perspective have also been recognised by the sector.

Türkiye: From a destination market to a manufacturing base

The significance of the E2 platform for Türkiye stems not only from its role as a product sold into the market, but also from its relationship with the region’s wind-energy supply chain. Looking at publicly announced 2026 orders, a total of 371 MW of E2 capacity has been committed: 70 MW for REGES Elektrik’s Demirli project, 140 MW for RT Enerji’s Aydın-Denizli project and 161 MW for Polat Enerji’s Balıkesir 1 project. This volume indicates that Türkiye has become an important application and reference market for next-generation onshore wind-turbine technologies.

During the same period, ENERCON announced an investment in a rotor-blade factory in Bergama with an annual production capacity of 150 rotor sets, and established strategic manufacturing partnerships with ATEŞ Wind Power and ATEŞ Çelik for the production of generator and hybrid steel tower components. This indicates that the E-175 E2 is moving beyond being only a turbine platform sold in Türkiye and is beginning to integrate into the country’s wind-energy industrial ecosystem. The platform is aligned with YEKA’s local-content objectives while also connecting with Europe’s supply-chain requirements and manufacturing capabilities for large-rotor technologies. From this perspective, the E2 can be regarded as one of the notable examples of Türkiye’s transition from a sales market towards a manufacturing and supply-centre role.

Editor’s assessment

According to Rüzgâr Enerjisi Magazine, what makes the E-175 EP5 E2 particularly interesting is not simply that it reaches 7 MW, but how it scales direct-drive technology. The completion of the final IECRE type certification and the growing order portfolio indicate that the platform has entered a commercial scaling phase. However, the final assessment will depend on long-term availability performance, service and maintenance costs, the field behaviour of major equipment and project-specific net annual energy production (AEP) data. For this reason, the key question at WindEnergy Hamburg is not the next increase in rated power, but the extent to which ENERCON can create additional project value from the platform through software, control strategies and operational optimisation.

Sources

1. ENERCON, E-175 EP5 E2 technical data / product information, updated 08/2025. Link 2. ENERCON, “Type Certificate Issued for the E-175 EP5 E2”, 24 August 2026. Link 3. ENERCON, “Strong tailwind from Madrid: Yield increase for E-175 EP5 E2 well received by customers”, 22 April 2026. Link 4. ENERCON, “E-175 EP5 E2 receives gold medal from Windpower Monthly”, 27 January 2026. Link 5. Windpower Monthly, “Turbines of the Year 2025” / 7.0 MW-plus onshore turbine assessment. Link 6. ENERCON, Türkiye order and localisation announcements: REGES Elektrik 70 MW; RT Enerji 140 MW; Polat Enerji 161 MW; Bergama rotor-blade plant; ATEŞ Wind Power / ATEŞ Çelik production partnerships. Link Note: The review is based on publicly available manufacturer documents, an independent industry publication and editorial calculations available as of 25 August 2026. The magazine has not conducted an independent field test of the turbine.